Benevodon

The Benevodons (God-Beasts in the fan translation of Seiken Densetsu 3) are a recurring group of creatures in the Mana series. There are eight in total, each representing one of the eight world elements similarly to the Mana Spirits, with whom they are frequently linked in some capacity.

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The Benevodons existed before the world was fully formed, and rampaged across the lands until the Goddess of Mana defeated them with the Sword of Mana. After this, they were each imprisoned in the eight Mana Stones to keep them from threatening the world. However, their actions were apparently known to the people of the world, and there exist those who would try to release them and take their power.

After the player character gains the Sword of Mana, their respective antagonist kidnaps the Faerie, successfully demanding the sword for her safety. After gaining the blade, they use it release the eight benevodons from the stones. The newly-freed creatures then remain in whatever dungeon their respective Mana Stone was in until the heroes defeat them. The player has the option of fighting the first seven benevodons in whatever order they wish. However, whenever one is killed, the monsters in all of the dungeons in which they lurk (even those that have already been killed) gain 2 levels, making reaching subsequent benevodons more difficult. After the first seven are killed, the heroes must locate the Mana Stone of Darkness, which had been lost in the distant past. Once they find it, they can face and kill Zable Fahr. However, killing the benevodons plays right into the hands of the main villain, because killing them sends their power to the Sword of Mana.

The benevodons do not physically appear in Sword of Mana, although some of them are referenced: their names are used in the game world's calendar system; more specifically, the months. The player can discover this by reading Isabella's diary in her room at Vinquette Hall. Some of the names have been translated differently, though this can be attributed to the lack of a standardized set of translations until the World of Mana compilation.

The benevodons make a return appearance in Children of Mana. Instead of appearing as eight separate bosses as they did in Seiken Densetsu 3, however, they have fused together in pairs, forming the four malevodons. Once each Malevodon is defeated, it splits into its component benevodons. After that the player can visit each benevodon once and ask them a question related to the plot of the game. Once all 8 have been visited a secret dungeon will be unlocked after beating the game. If the player beats this dungeon they will receive a special Gem from the 8 benevodons. The benevodons act as forces of good in this game and Moti claims they are here to protect and watch over the world. At the end of the game the benevodons seal away Illusia Island because its power is too dangerous to be accessible to humans, explaining how the Mana Sanctuary came to be.

All benevodons, except for the missing Zable Fahr, lend the player their strength as soon as Roget and his crew discover the respective Mana Stone. They, however, do so only because the Mirror of Esina may end the very world they are looking forward to ravaging one day. During battle the player can summon each benevodon by building a respective elemental shrine. As soon as the shrine is activated the benevedon in question will release a powerful attack that hits all enemies on the screen and has an additional effect such as HP stealing or several status alingments (depending on the benevodon).